Heating system or the like



May 9, 1944. C. w. CLBY 2,348,610

HEATING SYSTEM OR .THE LIKE Filed Dec.4 24, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet l'maya/005cm /C H07' WATER HEAER O O O O O RETURN 'OGOO 'HEADER ooooHEATING SYSTEM OR THE LIKE Filed Deo. 24, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 cfw.coLBY l 2,348,610

HEATING SYSTEM QR THE'V'LIKE Filed Dec. 24, 1940 7 sheetssneet s l /mrwwf/r omfr l May 9, 1944. c'. w. coLBY HEATING SYSTEM OR THE LIKE TSheets-Sham'I 4 Filed Dec. 24, 1940 My 59, 1944.l c. w.I coLBY 2,348,610

VHEATING SYSTEM QR THE LIKE Finled Deo. 24, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheetv 5 YHEADER -oooo @sooo May 9, 1944u c; w. CQLBY* 2,348,610

HEATING SYSTEM 0R THE LIKE Filed Dec. 24. 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet@ RETURNHEADER faz . 131 Je? L32 May 9, 1944.

HEATING SYSTEM 0R THE LIKE Filed Dec. 24, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 [7l/PfLY r c. w. coLBY V 2,348,610

Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATINGSYSTEM R THELIKE Clyde'W. Colby, Branford,V Conn.

ApplicationiDecemherflfl, 1940,V Serial No'. 371,511

(Cl. 23T-19) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to heating systems-and While not limited to aparticular use it is espe-- cially applicable to householdv heatingsystems, as it is contemplated to provide aheating system which will notonly heat the building in Whichit' is installed, but is so designed thathotwa't'er may be Withdrawn from the system as desired for domestic useand otherpurposes:

In the usual heating system employing water or steam as theheatingfluid, there is -usually'a` considerable quantity of- Water inthe system which is kept hot and which circulates through the radiatorelements fromwhi'ch the heat s'de-l diation elements, heating elementsvor elementsl containing the heating fluid which are" exposed to thesource of heat (in thisi'nstancean oil burner), andA connections betweenthe heating elements andthe radiation elements; This cir' cuit isconstantly open to the city Water system` or other source orwatersupply, and the fluid'is therefore at *all times under` thevpressure'A obtained in such- Water supply;r Als'ointhe system isarranged acirculatorvor pump tobring abOuta differential of Apressurewithinv thensystem` soV as to secure alrcirculation or flow' ofvvater'there through when heatisneeded-in'the'rooms served by thesystem. i f Y In addition, connections are arranged from the' system orcircuit to hot water outletsfrom^whichY hot Water may be drawn-fasdesired, the-entire circuit being so arranged that the-withdrawaljofhotwater does notL bring about a circulation through the radiationelements in orderthatthe heated water is not carriedto-the'latterelements' except when required. Moreover,the'lentiregsysi temcontains arelatively small amount ofwater` which may notbe more-l thanlafew gallonsiforaV4 small house, so that heat losses arecvery small" ascompared With-y what would befthe case' iffthe heating Y sys-temi V4wererequired to [keep f a q large`A` volume' ofwater-at agiven temperature.

Further,V thelheating elements: arelso' arrangedr asto obtain-a2 maximumefficiency from the fuel,

init-'hat the fh'ea-t chamber Alissurroundedf byjcoi'lscontamingituewatee tof sensate@ so that a 'rela'- tively srn'allamountof insulation is required upon` theY Walls of the chamber within whichYthe4 burner isA mounted, and also a relatively small amountof'heatescapeswith the exhaust gases.

One objectofthe invention is to provide anovelfand efficientiheatingsystem.

A further object of the invention is the provision' of a heating systemhaving a Water circulating. circuit which is 'constantly open to asource of Water supply under pressure, whereby thewater in"` the systemmay be Withdrawn for domestic use or' other purposes', asf desi-red.

A lstill further object of4 the inventionis the provision ofi a heatingsystem of the character described, which will containl airelativelysmall amount of Water andwhichwater will beheatedsubstantially instantaneously by an intermittently' operating.bruinen-such that whether domestic hot wateris` Withdrawn from thesystem or Whether theVV water isf'circulated through the radiators-'forheating" the various rooms, itrwill alvvaysY be delivered at arrelatively high temperature! even though itmay enter the heating unitatl airelativelyi 10Wv ten'operat'ure.Y

` AI'v still. further object of'y the inventionis'- the provision off aheatingsystem of thek character described which shall beso'controlledthat'the withdrawal of? hot vvater'from the system will not-'occasion adelivery of hotl waterY to the radia'tors except when such delivery isdesired'.

Still another object of the invention is `the provisionV of a heatingsystemA designed both for room heating and for the furnishing ofdomesticV krhotvvater, so arranged that, While the system' isalvvayfslopen toa cold Water supply, newater fi-'omsuch supply willenter thesystemA except'v tol replace het 'Water Withdrawn therefrom.

Td these and-other ends the 'invention' consists inf the novel featuresand combinations of parts tolbe*hereinafter'described and'claime'd.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig.V 1 is a' diagrammatic View of a heating system embodyingfm'yinvention;

' Fig. 2"is asideelevational View of thehea'tuziit employed therein; Y

'FigaV 37is asectional-,viewronline 3`-"-3"'of Fig.' 2; Eig. '4'isa-sectional' view on line 4;-4' of Fig. 3; 5 is `an"en'd"vi`eyvof'theloiv'enportion of the Yheatingunit;

rig. 6 vis a diagrammaueyiew ofi the circuit of the heating system' on'asmall scale Fig; 7 isa diagrammatic view ofthe' electrical devicesandconnections g1 'Fig 8`is a diagrammatic' View of'iny heating systemadapted for the heating of a plurality of apartments from a centralheater;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the casing of the heat exchangemember;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic View of a modification of my improved heatingsystem;

Fig. 11 is a sectional View through the heating or furnace unit;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the unit shown in Fig. 11, partly broken away;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a furthermodied form of heatingsystem;

Fig. 14 is a detail view of a part of said system; and

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical devices and connectionsemployed in the system shown in Fig. 13.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the heating system comprises aheat chamber I of the cross-sectional shape shown in Fig. 3. The lowerportion of this chamber is` substantially semi-circular, as shown at II,and tapers inwardly and upwardly as at I2 to a reduced upper portion I3.The heat is furnished in the present instance by an oil burner, thecasing of which is shown at I4, and which is directed to deliver a flameinto the lower portion of the chamber IU. The chamber may be constructedof nichrome so as to withstand heating to incandescence. Within thechamber are baiiies I2a and I2b which tend to throw the heat outwardlytoward the chamber walls. The usual blower or fan for the burner isshown diagrammatically at I4a. I have found that the burner shown in thepatent of Forrester L. Hammer, No. 2,222,031, granted November 19, 1940,is particularly eiiicient when used in connection with a heat chamber ofthis character.

The lower portion of the chamber is embraced by what may be termed acradle coil I5, this coil consisting of a plurality of pipes ISextending between and communicating at their ends with a pair ofU-shaped pipes or headers I1 and I 3. The header I1, as hereinafterexplained, will be arranged for the inlet of cold water from the coldwater supply and from the radiation elements or room radiators, while,as shown in Figs. 1 and 5,

the upper ends of the header I 8 are connected to a T I 9 by pipes 20and Y2I, from which T the water is carried by a pipe 22. In the T I9 abaffle 23 is provided to insure that the water passing inwardly throughthe pipes 2li and 2l will pass upwardly through the pipe 22 and notcirculate about the header I8.

The pipe 22, as shown in Fig. 1, leads to a heating coil designatedgenerally by the numeral 24 and situated within the upper reducedportion of the heat chamber. This coil consists of a number of runs of apipe 25, circulating the water back and forth across this portion of theheat chamber. Five of such runs are shown in the drawings, although moreor less may be used as required. These'pipes may have ns 26 mountedthereon to gather theheat eiiciently from the hot products of combustionand transfer it to the iiuid within the coil 24. I y l From the coil 24the heating fluid is led through pipes 21 and 28 to a Supply header 29,from which individual pipes 3l lead to radiation elements 32 which maybe room radiators. The supply headers 29 may be provided with any numberof outlet pipes 3|v depending upon the number of radiators required. Thenumeral 33 designates a return line from the radiators to the returnheader 34 and from this return header the heat- 75 ing fluid passesthrough a pipe 35 to a circulating pump 36 from which it is carried bythe pipe 31 to the inlet header I1 of the cradle coil I5 to complete thecircuit. A drain 38 may be provided at a lower portion of the system,such as the pipe 31., the drain being provided with a valve 39 which maybe opened to drain the entire system if and when required. Also theradiators 32 may be provided with vent valves 40 at the upper end ofupstanding pipes 4I so that any air whichr collects in the system may bevented.

At the inlet side of the pump 36 is provided a check valve 42 whichopens toward the pump and Which prevents the flow of water in a reversedirection. This Valve also has suilicient resistance to opening so as toprevent a gravity ow of the heating fluid through the system due todifference in temperature existing therein, so that there will be nodelivery of hot Water to the room radiators unless the pump 36 is inoperation, even though the burner I4 may operate to heat the water.

The pipe 31 is connected through pipe 43 to the city water supply 44,this connection being open at all times. There is, however, during theheating cycle of the system (i. e., when no domestic hot Water is ybeingdrawn therefrom) no passage of cold water from the water supply into thesystem due to the arrangement which provides for a complete circulationof the water Within the system by reason of the pressure differentialcreated by the circulating pump 36. In other Words, a complete circuitis provided through which the Water is carried by the circulating pump,this circuit being in communication at all times with the city Watersupply, and therefore at all times under the pressure obtained in thissupply. As the entire circuit is under this pressure, however, thecirculating pump acts in the same manner as if no pressure were present.That is, the pump simply creates a pressure differential at the inletand outlet thereof which brings about the circulation of the waterwithout reference to the opening to theA city water supply.

A pressure relief valve 45 is provided in the return pipe 35 to permitwater to vent from the system in the event of the pressure buildingupbeyond the safety limits. A pipe 46 will lead from this valve to anysuitable drain. Y

A further heat element is arranged in parallel with the heating coils I5and 24. This heat element comprises the coils 41 and 48 arranged upon 1each side of the vwalls of the heat chamber I0 above the coil I5. Thesecoils-absorb the heat delivered to the chamber walls so as to coolthe Ychamber and thus reduce the amount -of insulation required, and at thesame time employ this heat in a useful manner to heat the water in 1 thesystem. As shown in Fig. 1, the heating fluid. enters these coilsthrough a pipe 49 connected to the pipe 35 and also connectedk to' the,

inlet ends of the coils 41 and 43. The outlet from these coils deliversto the pipe 31 by -means of outlet pipes 5U and 5I passing throughvopenings in the Ts 52 and 53 and having their end portions in the pipe31, as shown at 52a and 53E, so that the flow of Water through the pipe31 has'an aspirating or entrainingvaction upon the pipes 50 and 5I todraw the water therefrom.

It will be noted that the circulating pump does not move the heating uiddirectly through the auxiliary coils 41 and 48, but indirectly causesthe water to flow through these coils by means of the describedentraining or aspirating'action of the water circulating through thepipe 31. The water drawn from the coils 41 and 48 through the pipes 5i]and 5i into the pipe 31 will' be replaced by the water returning fromthe return header 3d through the pipe 49'. In order to prevent the backiiow through the pipe 49 a check valve 54 may be arranged in this pipe,.as indicated in Fig. l.

` It will be apparent that I have arranged.' for particularly eflicientoperation of the burner I4 in that the gases of combustion aredischarged into the heat chamber Ill, which chamber is practicallysurrounded by heating coils all of which contribute tothe heating of thewater in the system, the coil 24 being; arranged at the top of thechamber to draw the heat from the gases leaving the chamber. Practicallyinstantaneous heating of the water is accomplished.

Provision is also made for the withdrawal of water from the system foruse as domestichot water orV other purposes. ToV this end the pipe 21leading to the supply header 29 is provided with a branch 55 leading toa mixing device. 56

from which the domestic hot water is drawn as at 51. It will beunderstood that the water in the system will in some cases be at toohigh a temperature for use, and the water is thus led into the mixingdevice 56, where it is mixed with cold water entering thev mixing devicethrough the pipe 58 which communicates with the cold water supply piped4.. The mixing device will preferably be thermostatically controlled todeliver water at the faucet at a predetermined temperature.

When domestic hot water is drawn from the system through the pipe 51this water will be replenished by the entry of water throughthe pipe 3,this water passing through the pipe 31 to the heat elements l5 and 2dand downwardly through the pipe 21 to the mixing device to` complete thecircuit. It will be seen, therefore, that the withdrawal of domestic hotwater from the system does not cause a flow -of hot water through theroom radiators, which, together with the circulating pump, areshort-circuited at this time. It will be obvious, however, that there isa flow cf water through the pipe 31y during the withdrawal of domestichot water, which, by the previously described entraining or aspiratingaction, will cause a flow of water through theV coils li1 and 48. Thewater thus taken from these` coils is replenished by means of a pipe 59connected to the supply pipe 44 and to the inlet of the coils betweenthem and the check valve 5d. rIhus, any water drawn from these coilsthrough pipes 55 and 5I during withdrawal of domestic hot water throughpipe 51 will be supplied through the pipe 59, and thus these auxiliarycoils 51 and t8, as well as coils l5 and`24, will be employed in thedomestic hot water cycle of the system as well as in the heating cycleof the system.

It will `be obvious from the above description that the heating systemwill operate either to deliver het water to the radiation elements or todeliver domestic hot water when required without regard to thefurnishing of heat tothe radiators. It may, therefore, be said to have aheating cycle and a domestic hot water cycle, and it will be necessaryto operate the burner during each of thesecycles.v

To eiect this result, automatic thermostats or so-called aquastats 65and iii` are placed in the circuit preferably at a point between theheating coils and the supply header and mixingrdevice,

as; for example, in the line 21, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Theaquastat 6!) is designed to operate during the hot water supply cycle ofthe burner and acts as an upper limit control to shut i oii the burnerin the manner usual inthe art whenthe temperature of the water hasreached a predetermined figure, as well as to start operation of theburner when the Vwater in the system fallsl to a predeterminedtemperature. It will thusbe seen that the water in the system is alwaysmaintained at a predetermined temperature, but due to the arrangement ofthe check valves 42 and 54, no hot water will be delivered to the roomradiators unless and until the circulating pump is set into operation.

i, stop these devices, depending upon whether or not heat is called forby the temperature of the room in which the thermostat is located.

In other words, when this thermostat calls for heat in the house, thepump Swll be set into v. operation, causing a flow of water through theheating circuit, including the room radiators, and the burner will alsobe set into operation and eiect instantaneous heating of the water inthe system so that hot water will be delivered to the radiators. Whenthe room containing the thermostat is brought up to the requiredtemperature, the thermostat will operate to stop the action of thecirculating pump and shut ofi the oil burner.

A similar action takes place when no heat is required for the house butwhen domestic hot water is drawn from the system, except that at thistime the circulating pumpv is not in opera tion. It willbe understoodthat as described the aquastat 60 maintains a predetermined degree oftemperature in the system, and when domestic hot water is drawn and thetemperature of the water thus lowered by the intake of cold waterthrough the pipe 44 from the city water supply system, the burner willbe set into operation and thus heat instantaneously the water enter ingthe system for withdrawal at the faucet. When the withdrawal is stoppedand the water is raised to the temperature at which the upper limit ofaquastat 6l] is set, the burner will be again shut off.

In Fig. '1 of the drawings the electrical connections to the variouscontrol devices are shown somewhat diagrammatically. Electricalconductors 54 lead to a source of current, and from these conductors abranch circuit comprising the wires 65 leads to the circulator 35through a relay 51. 'Ihe wires 64 lead through the aquastat 5l to asecond relay 68, which controls through the wiring 69 the motor 1B ofthe oil burner and theignition 1| of this burner. The aquastat 6% isadapted to close the circuit through wires 12, which wires control therelay 68, which as stated will close the circuit through the burnerignition and motor. The wires 12 also lead to the room thermostat G2 sothat the circuit through these wires may be closed by the roomthermostat as well aslby the aquastat El). It will be understood thatthe room thermostat 52, in addition to i 1 closing the Vcircuit throughthe wires `12 to' operate the relay 68, also operates the relay 61,which closes the circuit to the circulator or circulating pump 36.

When the room thermostat 62 calls for heat in the room in which it islocated and closes the circuit 12, it also operates the relay 61. Thusthe circuit is closed through the motor and ignition of the burner andalso through the circulator, so that the burner is caused to operate andthe circulating pump is set into operation to cause an immediatecirculation of the water through the pipes. This condition obtains untilthe thermostat is satisfied and breaks the circuit, except that if thetemperature of the water in the heater reaches the limit at whichtheaquastat 6| is set, this aquastat breaks the circuit through therelay 68, and thus stops the oil burner. It will also be noted that atthis time the aquastat 66, which is in control during the domestic hotwater heating cycle of the burner, will be shunted as the circuit 12which it controls remains closed under the action of the roomthermostat. As the aquastat 6| is set at a higher limit than theaquastat 86 (a higher water temperature being desirable during theheating cycle of the burner than during the hot water cycle thereof),this shunting of the aquastat 66 leaves the aquastat 6I in control, asis desirable.

If the burner is not in operation, and domestic hot water is drawn fromthe system, the lower temperature limit of the aquastat 66 will bereached by the Water in the system, and this device will operate toclose the circuit 12, and thus operate the relay 68 to set the oilburner into operation. The burner will continue in operation until thewater temperature reaches the upper limit at which the aquastat 66 isset, at which time the circuit 12 will be broken and the operation ofthe burner will cease. It is thus seen that the aquastat 66 maintainsthe water in the burner at a temperature between the upper and lowerlimits at which it is set, regardless of whether or not any water isused, or whether or not any heat is used in the rooms, as this device isin control at all times except when it is shunted by the action of theroom thermostat 62.

If it should occur that when the burner is started the fuel fails toignite for any reason, it is necessary to stop the motor 16 of the oilburner. This function is performed by a so-called Visaame control (suchas shown, for example, in United States Patent No. 2,162,098), showndiagrammatically at 15 in Fig. 4, which "Visaame is secured adjacent theburner casing I4, and provided with a tube 16 which extends into thecombustion chamber I6 so as to be actuated by the light of the flame. Itis desirable that this member not become overheated, and to prevent thisan air tube 11 leads from the casing I4 of the burner to the tube 16, sothat a small amount of air from the blower I4 will pass through the tube16 to the combustion chamber, and thus keep the Visaflame device cool.This control member 15 is shown'on the diagrammatic view of Fig. '7, anda circuit 18 leads from this device to the relay S8 to open the circuitthrough the relay and thus cut 01T the motor of the burner.

In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings I have shown a heating system similarto that described above, except that it is adapted for the heating of anapartment house from a central system, in that, while a single heater isprovided, arrangement is made to supply a plurality of separate circuitsfrom this heater, each of these circuits having provision for deliveringhot water to room radiators, and provision is also made for supplyingdomestic hot water to each apartment.

In this modification the heater is shown diagrammatically at |66, whichheater may supply hot water to return and supply headers I6| and |62.The pipes from these headers lead to the various apartments to beheated, and it is believed that it will be necessary to illustrate anddescribe only one of such apartment heating systems, although it will beunderstood that as many as desired may be employed up to the capacity ofthe heater. As illustrated, pipes |63 and |64 lead to a heat exchangemember |65, there being one such heat exchange member for each apartmentor separate heating circuit. This heat exchange member consists of acontainer or drum within which is disposed a coil |66 supplied by thepipes |63 and |64. The drum of the heat exchange member is filled withwater about the coil |66, and this water is heated by the coil |66 anddelivered to the various radiators throughout the apartment by means ofa supply pipe |61 and a return pipe |68 leading, respectively, to theksupply and return headers |69 and IIIl. From these headers the supplyand return pipes II I and I|2 lead to the individual radiators. Acirculating pump |I3 is provided in the return line |68, there being oneof these circulating pumps for each of the individual heating systems,or each of the heat exchange members I65.

It will be understood that the heating unit |66 is similar in allrespects to the heating unit shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, andprovided with the same control devices as shown and described in`connection with the single unit system, and that the usual thermostatwill be employed in each of the apartments heated through one of theheat exchange members I 65. This thermostat will be arranged, when thecircuit is completed therethrough, to control the operation of theheater and also the circulator, as shown in Figs. l and 7 of thedrawings, and in addition the thermostat will start the circulator I|3pertaining to the system of that particular apartment, so as tocirculate hot water through the pipes I I and I I2 and to the radiators(not shown). It will be apparent, therefore, that this heating systemacts precisely in the manner of the one shown in Figs. 1 to 7 of thedrawings, except that the hot water, instead of passing from the headersI6i and' |62 to the hot water radiators, passes to the heat exchangemember |65, from which the water is circulated to the individualradiators.

To supply domestic hot Water to the apartments, a pipe I|4 leads to thatapartment from the return pipe I 63 'leading from the heater .to thecoil |66. It may here be stated that a peculiar advantage is obtainedfrom connecting the pipe I I4 to the return pipe |63, in that the waterentering the system from the city water supply and passing into pipe IMmust pass through the coil |66. As this water may be cooler than theWater'in the heat exchange member about the coil, a reversal of the heatcycle will take place, and the water within the coil will absorb heatfrom that around it until the two reach the same temperature. Thus theradiator water assists in heating the domestic water in this cycle.

The pipe II4 leads to a mixer shown dia-f In Fig. 8 of the drawings theHoor of an apartment building is illustrated at |16, and a'pltition atr| l1 within which pipes v| |'8 may A'lead 'to another apartment. Iffdesirable, one jor'more Vhall `radiators I9 'may be provided, which'hall radiators `receive Vhot water-,from pipes |20, also leading Atothe return and supply headers |01 and In Figs. l to '12 ofthe drawings Ihave shown a modified form Vof my inventionsimilar in principle to `thefform previously '.described. "In the present case, however, the heatingunititself is so arranged that the heating coils 'at fthe side of theburner casing are in Series instead "ofibeing in parallel, as shown'in'Figs 2 vand. `"Also, as will be apparent fromthefollowingdescription, certain changes have beenmade inthe manner of arranging andconnecting'the various units of the system, as shown'inFig. 10.

In this embodimentlof my `invention a heat chamber AIt!! is providedgenerally similar in shapeto that oi the chamber shown inFig. 3. Thewall of this chamber fwill'be formed of some heat-resisting material,such as nichrome steel, so that it will withstand being heated toincandescence. Arranged upon the outside of this chamber and at the endsthereof are headers V|3| and |32, these headers being of horseshoe shapeand following the outline of the cross-sectional shape ofthe burnerchamber. These Ytwo members |3| and |32 are, connected'by a plurality ofpipes or tubes v|33 extending horizontally therebetween and arranged inparallel spaced relation over the entire wall lof the heat chamber, sothat the members ISI and |32 -serve as headers connected by these tubes.In 'the header |3| are arranged a plurality of stops, shown at |34 and|35, and similar stops |30 are arranged in the header "|32 in staggeredrelation to those in the opposite header. As shown in Fig. 11, theheader |32 is divided at the bottom as at |31, so that it in realityconsists or two `,separate parts, one at each side of the chamber.,nTheheader |3I is provided with an inlet pipe |39 through which coldwater enters to pass through` the coils and be heated thereby. It willbe understood that heat is supplied to the chamber |30, and'for thispurpose an oil burner may beemployed, as indicated, for example, in Fig.4. On the outside'of pipes |32 may be placed a cover llla sothat thepipes lie'between this `cover andthe wall ofthe chamber |30. This willenable the placing of insulating material |30b`between the heat unit andthe Vcabinet |30c within vwhich the `heat chamber andburner unit may belplaced.

'Water entering the header |31 through the pipe |39'will, as maybe seen'from Fig. '12, divide and flow in both directions Vto rise against thestops |34. VIt will then Apass `horizontally through the tubes |33 tothe header 1|'32, in which it Vwill rise until it strikes the 'stops136. It will `then pass back again to the'header 'lSL and rising againstthe stops |35, will again'be passed tothe header |32. header |32 andagain .pass horizontally `to `the upper ends ofthe header 13|. iMountedwithin the Vupper'portion of'the chamber |130 is a heat exchangecoirdesignated generally by the .nu-

fmeral |40. "This coil `consists of a number of` runs of pipe upon4which are 'mounted 'radiating fins iM, so that vtheimaximum amount ofheat will be drawn from `the hotgases issuing from the chamber |30,these gases ypassing'to the flue after passing over the heat exchangecoil llil. It will be apparent ffrom .Fig. rl2`that the upper `ends ofthe header |3| are brought It will sthen rise vto the top of 'thetogether as at |42, and lead into a pipe |43 which is the inlet pipe `ofthe coil |40.

The heat exchange member |40 may consist of any number of coils,f1vebeing shown in the drawings,'thewater passing through these coils inseries, and issuing therefrom through the pipe tid 'into a cylindricalchamber |45, from which it passes ythrough the pipe |46 to the supplyheader |41.

From the supply headerjthe hot water passes through pipes |48 to roomradiators |49 (only one of which is shown in the drawings), and returnsfrom these radiators through pipes |50 to the return Yheader |155.Fromtherreturn'header |'5I Aa pipe V|52 leads to the inlet of acirculating pump |53, `which delivers through the pipe |54, Vto theinlet |30 of the heating coil,'thus completing the circuit.

The-present system, as in the case of the one previously described,'isopen at all times to the city water system, and is also so arranged thatdomestic hot water may be drawn therefrom.

'The connection with :the city water supply is shown at |-55,from whichconnection a pipe communicates withthe pipe |39. lThe domestic hot'Water is drawn Yfrom the chamber M35 through the pipe |51, which vleadsto a mixing valve l|58, which 'valve also receives cold water from thecity water supply through the pipe we. Itwill be understoodthatthe'mixing valve may be regulated'to deliver domestic hot waterthrough ythe pipe |00 at any desired temperature, the latterbeingobtained by the mixing of more or less cold water 'from the city watersupply with that drawn from the chamber |45 of the heating circuit. Theflow through'the pipe |09 may be controlled by a regulating valve I6 I,which valve may be adjusted to give the amount of water desired in agiven time.

Adjacent the chamber |45 and in communication therewith is an expansionchamber |63 to permit the expansion of the water against a confinedquantity of air. The heating circuit may be provided with a drain |64,thisdrain being normally closed by the valve |05, and the drain may alsobe connected by a pipe IBS through a valve |61 to the expansion-chamber|03, so that thelatter maybe blown out` when desired.

In order that the pressure in the heating circuit'will not become toohigh, a pressure relief valve |69 may be provided in a line |10 whichextends from the pipe |54 to the pipe |60, so that it will communicatewith the drain |64 beyond the valve |65, which valve, as stated, isnormally closed.

As previously stated, the heat for the heating system may'convenientlybe supplied by oil burner delivering its ame into the chamber |30.

As in the present modification, as well as in that `in readinessy to cutin or rstart in a very short time after it, has cut out. Forthis reasonI prefer Ato ,employ 4a Visailame -control to cut off the v,fuel intheevent that rthere is a failure in ignition. of -the fuel, as-shown inconnection with Fig. 4, of the drawings, which will cut off themotor oithe-oilburner if it is not energized from the light of the ame in theheating chamber. As this device must be set close to the heatingchamber, it will be found-desirable to prevent the heating of thisdevice by conduction from the furnace by delivering thereto cold airfrom the blower of the burner, as shown in Fig. 4.

As domestic hot water is drawn from the heating system, it will bedesirable to maintain the temperature of the water therein betweencertain limits at all times. For this purpose a fluid thermometer orthermostatic element |1| is placed in the chamber |45 so as to besubject to the temperature of the water therein. The fluid within themember |1| communicates through a tube |12 with a control |13, whichwill serve as both upper and lower limit control of the System. That is,when the water falls below a given temperature, the control |13 will beactuated to set the oil burner in operation, and when the upper limit isreached at which the control is set, the current to the burner will becut 01T in a Wellknown manner to stop the operation of the burner untilthe temperature of the water again drops d below the lower limit ofwhich the control device is set.

It will be understood that the control device |13 operates only tomaintain the water in the system at a given temperature, and that thisdoes not of itself serve to deliver water to the room radiators. Thelatter is accomplished by means of the pump |53, which will preferablybe electrically driven and controlled from a thermostat located at aproper point in the dwelling or other building or room to be heated, inthe usual manner.

When the temperature of the room in which the thermostat is placedreaches the lower limit at which the thermostat is set, the circulatorwill be started and cause hot water in the system to circulate throughthe room radiators, and this circulation will continue as long as theroom thermostat calls for heat. If during this period the temperature ofthe water in the heating system falls below the minimum setting oi' thecontro] |13, the burner will be set into operation and will continueuntil the water temperature in the chamber |45 reaches the maximum limitof the control |13. It will also be understood that even though the roomthermostat does not set the circulating pump |53 into operation, thecontrol |13 will, nevertheless, maintain the water in the system at agiven temperature, whether this temperature is reduced by mere radiationor whether it is reduced by the drawing of domestic hot water therefrom.As a result, hot water of the desired temperature is always present inthe System, both for domestic use and for circulation through theradiators if the latter is required.

In order to prevent a reverse iiow of water through the system,particularly during the drawing of domestic hot water therefrom, a checkvalve |52a is placed in the pipe |52 at the inlet side of thecirculating pump 53, this check valve operating to freely permit the owof water in the direction induced by the pump, but preventing iiow in areverse direction. Also some means may be employed to prevent a gravityiiow of hot water through the radiators when the room thermostat doesnot set the pump into operation. This is necessary, for example, toprevent a summer circulation through the radiators when no heat isrequired, but when the water in thel heating coils will be kept hot fordomestic hot water purposes. This may take the form of traps |4811, oneof which may be located in each of the pipes |48 supplying the heatingiiuid to the radiators. A similar trap 3 l*i may be employed in each ofthe pipes 3|, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, for the same purpose.It will be found that the resistance offered by such a trap willovercome the gravity circulation of the heating fluid, so that thelatter will not circulate except when the circulating pump is set intooperation.

In Figs. 13 to 15 of the drawings I have shown a further modification ofmy invention in which the heating system is generally like that shown inFigs. 10 to 12, but differs therefrom in some respects. As these twoforms of my invention have many identical features in common, I haveemployed the same reference characters on Fig. 13 to indicate the partsidentical with those on Fig. l0, and further description thereof will beunnecessary.

In this form of my invention I have eliminated the radiator air ventingdevices shown at |43ll in Fig. 10, and have provided instead means fordraining or clearing out each radiator individually. To effect thisresult the pipes |50 leading from the radiators |49 to the return header|5| are provided with shut-off valves |15, so that communication of thepipes |50 with the header may be shut off or opened as desired.Preferably these valves will be capable of a variable adjustment so asto permit any desired rate of flow from the radiator to the header torestrict this flow to any extent or to shut it off entirely. As shown inFig. 14, these pipes |50 leading to the return header are provided abovethe valves |15 with branches |16 leading to a vent header |11, thecommunication of the pipes with the vent header being controlled byshut-oil valves |18. The vent header is connected through a pipe |19with the pipe |66 leading to the drain of the system.

It will be apparent that with this arrangement if one of the radiatorsbecomes filled with air or sediment, or if it is desired to drain it forany other reason, the valve |15 is closed and the valve |18 is opened,whereby the particular radiator with which these valves are connectedwill be drained through the pipe |16, fresh water entering the radiatorfrom the supply header vthrough the pipe |48 in the usual manner. Thiswill serve to drain the old water from the radiator, and it will carrywith it any sediment cr air which -may have lodged therein.

The present form of my invention also differs from the form shown inFigs. 10 to 12 in the control of the burner. It will be recalled that inthe latter case the burner was controlled through a high and low limitcontrol member |13, which cut in the burner when the water in the systemreached a certain minimum temperature, and cut out the burner when thewater reached a certain maximum temperature, whether the lowering of thetemperature was caused by radiation from the radiators or by the drawingof hot water for domestic use. In the present form of my invention,however, the control of the burner is accomplished by a pressure controldevice connected to the domestic hot water line |60 by the pipe 8| Thepressure device |80 is of well-known form in that it will operate whenthe pressure in the pipe |60 reaches a minimum figure to cut in theburner of the furnace, and will also serve to cutout the burner when thepressure in pipe Y |60 reaches a certain maximum figure. Thus, ifdomestic hot water is drawn from the system through pipe |60, thepressure'will fall to such an extent as to set the burner in operation,and it will be continued in operation until the hot water faucet is shutoi, at which time the normal pressure in pipe |60 will be restored, andthe pressure control device |80 will operate to cut off the burner ofthe furnace.

It will, of course, be understood that the burner is also controlled inits operation by the usual room thermostat, so that in addition to beingcut in and out when the pressure in the system falls or rises, it willalso be cut in or out when the house or room thermostat calls for heat.In this form oi' my device I do not have any lower limit control, sothat the water is not maintained at any given temperature. As theheating of the water is practically instantaneous, no hot water storageis necessary.

Also in this form of my invention I employ an upper limit safety control|`|3at connected to the thermometer by the pipe |12. This control actsas a safety to prevent the system becoming overheated, and will serve tocut off the burner when the water in the system reaches a certainmaximum temperature.

A check valve |82 is placed in the city water supply line adjacent thepoint at which it is connected to the heating system, so that this checkvalve will lie between any other water supply line, such as a cold watersupply for the building in which the heating system is installed, andthe heating system itself. This valve permits the water to pass to theheating system freely under the pressure of the city water supply, butwiil prevent the return of the water in the system to the supply pipe.This prevents the drawing of cold water in the house, for example, fromaffecting the pressure in the heating system, for, if the valve were notpresent a drawing of cold water might so lower the pressure in thesystem that the burner would be set into operation, although no hotwater had been drawn from the system and no heat was required. It will,of course, be understood that the burner in this case is operated by aroom thermostat in the same manner as in previous modifications, inaddition to being operated by the pressure device |80.

Preferably the clapper of the valve |82 will be pierced, as shown at|82a, so that, while the valve will prevent any sudden reduction ofpressure in the system due to the drawing of hot water, it will,nevertheless, allow the water in the heating system to expand slowlyinto the water supply pipe as pressure builds up in the heating systemdue to expansion with the rise in temperature of the waterin the system.

In Fig. 15 of the drawings I have shown a diagrammatic view of thecontrol and wiring system of the form of my invention shown in Fig. 13.As this wiring diagram is in substance like that shown in Fig. 7, itwill not be necessary to give a detailed description thereof, but itwill suffice to say that E2 represents the house thermostat, 64 the linewires of the source of current, 19 the motor of the oil burner, 1| thetransformer of the ignition system of the burner, 35 the circulatingpump, and 61 and 68 relays for the connection of the various controlapparatus. The visaame device is indicated diagrammatically at 15, andthe pressure control device at |86, and the high limit temperaturecontrol at |13@ It will be obvious that in this form the two aquastats50 and 6| shown in Fig. 7 have been omitted, and the devices |132* and|80 substituted therefor.

While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all ofthe details shown, but is capable of modification and variation withinthe spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l.. A heating system comprising heating means and a fluid circuit, saidcircuit comprising heating elements exposed to the heat of said heatingmeans and radiation elements to transfer the heat to a surroundingmedium, and delivery and return conduits connecting said heating andradiation elements, a pump to induce a flow of iiuid in said circuit,and a source of fluid supply in constant communication with said circuitbetween said pump and said heating elements, said circuit having a hotwater take-off from the delivery conduit between said heating elementsand said radiation elements, and means to mix cold water from said watersupply with the hot water so drawn from the circuit.

2. A heating system comprising heating means and a iiuid circuit, saidcircuit comprising heating elements exposed to the heat of said heatingmeans and radiation elements to transfer the heat to a surroundingmedium, and delivery and l return conduits connecting said heating andradi ation eiements, a pump to induce a ow of fluid in said circuit, asource of fluid supply in constant communication with said circuitbetween said pump and said heating elements, said circuit having a hotwater take-off from the delivery conduit between said heating elementsand said radiation elements, and means to prevent circulation throughsaid radiation elements when hot water is Withdrawn from the systemthrough said take-on.

3. A heating system comprising heating means and a fluid circuit, saidcircuit comprising heating elements exposed to the heat of said heatingmeans and radiatic-n elements to transfer the heat to a surroundingmedium, and delivery and return conduits connecting said heating andradiation elements, a pump to induce a 'ow of fluid in said circuit, anda source of fluid supply in constant communication with said circuit,said circuit having a hot water take-off from the delivery conduitbetween said heating elements and said radiation elements, means to mixcold water from said water supply with the hot water so drawn from thecircuit, and means to prevent circulation through said radiationelements when hot water is withdrawn from the system through saidtake-ofi.

4. A heating system comprising heating means and a fluid circuit, saidcircuit comprising heating elements exposed to the heat of said heatingmeans and radiation elements to transfer the heat to a surroundingmedium, and delivery and return conduits connecting said heating andradiation elements, a pump to induce a flow of uid in said circuit, anda source of fluid supply in constant communication with said circuit,said circuit having a hot water take-off from the delivery conduitbetween said heating elements and said radiation elements, means to mixcold water from said water supply with the hot water so drawn from thecircuit, means to prevent circulation through said radiation elementswhen hot water is withdrawn from the system through said take-off, and acheck valve between said source of fluid supply and said circuit toprevent a return flow of the water from said circuit toward said supplyupon a reduction of pressure in the latter.

CLYDE W. COLBY

